Western Affliction

Western Affliction

An Elemental Series Novel

Copyright 2017 S.M. Winter

Published by S.M. Winter at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Point of View Gallery

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Letter From the Author

Glossary

Other Books by S.M. Winter

Buy Your Own Elemental Key

Connect With the Author

Acknowledgements

First, I want to thank the bookworms I met while touring. It is exhilarating to see those who are overjoyed to find books for sale and meet the person who created them. You are the reason I do this and I hope it leaves an impression.

Second, I want to thank my best friend and sister, Aimee. Without her support this series would not exist. Thank you for always being an unflagging sounding board. You listen to all my good, bad, and horrid ideas. Also, thank you for reading the scenes you think are bad in that annoying sing-song voice. It puts things into perspective.

Aimee is also my editor and artisan behind the physical Elemental Keys. I don’t know anyone else who would have the patience to deal with my temperament.

I would also like to thank my husband Andrew and son Gunner for being patient with my time. My Beta Readers, who gave no holds-barred feedback, even if it did crush my hopes and dreams. I love you all, thank you for your frightening honesty, yet again.

Specifically, Kat, Megan, and Paul. This time around you three created the most value added feedback and I appreciate you.

Finally, I would like to thank the all of the readers. Without you, I wouldn’t be here.

Thank you.

Point of View Glossary

Garridyn

Tabitha

Moira

It was hard to remember a time before captivity. I existed in my head to escape reality as often as possible. The only thing tethering me to my surroundings was my brother. I know I would have floated off into my fantasies long ago had he not kept me anchored.

I lay on the cold, unforgiving ground trying to find some sort of comfort while my younger brother lay next to me, sleeping soundly. A thread of jealousy tried to sow a seed inside me but I shook it off. Despite how close we were in age, only fifteen minutes apart, we were our own people, and right now he was the better rested one.  He’d seen more hardship, or at least a different variety, and I shouldn’t have begrudged him his sleep. How he could actually rest in this hell I’ll never know, but that wasn’t my greatest concern at the moment. I knew what time it was without a clock because of the routine within my cage.

The scrape of metal across the bare concrete floor and the flare of a match meant that it was four forty-five a.m., and our day was about to begin. I felt Alexandar shudder next to me, though he tried to lay still. The man who woke us every morning enjoyed tormenting us. The match illuminated the surrounding darkness as he lit his pipe, just enough for us to make out his face. I hated that match nearly as much as I hated the man who held it. It burned the image of his face into my brain. I knew it wouldn’t be easily forgotten if... when we escaped. Long dark hair pulled back at the nape of his neck. Face pockmarked and uneven, as if maybe he’d been badly burned as a child. He would have been handsome if not for the scarring, and his constant leering smirks.

Once the pipe was smoking he shook the spent piece of wood until it went out, leaving the stinging smell of glycerol in the absence of the flame. In the resulting darkness I could hear him tamping the tobacco into coals. There was a rustle as he put away his tamper, and quick puffing inhales as I knew he watched us. The metal scraped again as he moved a chair closer to the bars of our cage. Another light flared to life as a lantern was lit, blinding me as my eyes had just begun to readjust to the darkness. The seat the man sat in, his throne of power over me, gleamed dully in the light, a broken scrap of metal.

Each day was filled with pain, humiliation, and torturous work, but what came next was easily the worst part of it all. Click, click, lock. Click, lock. The soft sound of metal on metal as the hammer of his firearm was cocked and then he would gently uncock. Armed and then unarmed.

Click, click, lock. Click, lock. Click, click, lock. Click, lock.

Little girl, said the raspy voice that materialized from near the cell’s bars as cold sweat beaded on my upper lip. Little Moira. It’s time to wake and make your choice.

His voice always reminded me of grinding gravel underfoot. Deep, rattling, and absolutely terrifying in its herald.

I thought about pretending to be asleep, but sometimes the beatings I received from provoking him made the work that came later a lot harder. A bloody lip wouldn’t get in the way though.

Come again, Nicabar? I lifted my head and smiled at him. I was having such a great dream about you, I didn’t really want to leave it.

Oh yeah, little girl? He rubbed his crotch and grinned, the light from the lantern making the gold in his mouth shine. The majority of his teeth had been replaced.

Not that kind of dream tonight, my smile turned feral and Alexandar grabbed my hand to try and make me stop. The kind where I kill you and dance on your moldering corpse.

Moldering? His cackle made my stomach roll. You think you’re all high and mighty because Ioana lets you read?

He let the handgun rest on the bars of the cage as he spoke. He spat on the concrete next to me.

You’re nothin’, he said, his lip curling upward into a sneer. You haven’t even been Chosen, so what good are you? Not even ten-years-old and you think you’re queen of the castle.

I sat up, taking the bait. He grabbed my shirt front and pulled me into the bars. I saw stars and tasted blood. Now it was my turn to spit. Without looking I shot my hand out to stop Alexandar from whatever foolish thing he was planning on doing. Though I couldn’t see him, I could feel his tension coiling behind me.

That was the thing about being a twin, you could always anticipate what the other would do before they did it.

What were you going to do? Nicabar scoffed.  His laughter was cruel. I’ve got the power, Bebelus. You’d do best to remember who’s in charge.

I was about to tell him just where he could shove his ‘Bebelus’ when Alexandar piped in.

Ioana won’t like that she’s bleeding, Alexandar said as he thrust out his chin in defiance, as if saying so to Nicabar would do much of anything.

So what? His smile disappeared and he looked at me again. What’s she gonna do anyway?

What if we’re Chosen today? I dug the knife a little deeper. You know she’ll want us to look our best on that day.

Well, I guess you should be less clumsy then, Nicabar said as his smile slowly returned. Or you could choose the Other. Then this would all go away.

I shuddered at the thought. Click, click, lock. Click, lock.

What’s your choice today, little girl? His breath was sickly sweet and biting, like the whiskey he drank daily. If you chose the Other, then you might just be able to wipe us all off the map one day you know...

I struggled longer than I should have. It was getting harder to choose life. When someone offers you a way out it can begin to look like salvation. The reason this was always the worst part of my day was because I looked forward to it more and more. Every day, this was the only choice I was allowed to make. Everything else was laid out for me; work, meals, if I could read, and when I could sleep. I couldn’t even use the bathroom without someone else saying it was alright. This was part of the reason I didn’t sleep when they told me to. My little rebellion.

Click, click, lock. Click, lock.

I looked over to Alexandar and he took my hand. I squeezed it, holding tight to my only lifeline.

I choose life, I said. As I had repeated every morning since I could talk.

What about you, boy, Nicabar turned the gun on him, depressing the hammer. Click, click, lock. Click, Lock.

I choose life, Alexandar replied without hesitation.

Click, click, lock. He studied us both, as if disappointed in our choice. A bead of cold sweat ran down my spine, making me shudder.

Alright then, Nicabar said as he reset the hammer. Click, lock.

I released the breath I’d been holding as he holstered his gun and unlocked our cell.

Time for work, he gloated.  The scraping of metal made me shiver as he dragged the chair back into the corner of the small room.

As the recollection dimmed, my eyes opened. I stood in the room where my brother was now pretending to sleep. I didn’t sleep anymore so I knew it hadn’t been a dream, more like an unwanted vision. Memories often came unbidden, reminding me of my mission.

I knew that I finally had him on the ropes. I remembered the feeling well and I could see it in his every movement. He’d always been stronger than I had been, even though he was younger. I just needed to show him that he could be stronger still, if he would just weaken on this one point.

Frost grew like mold on the walls here. It had something to do with having so many Doppelgangers and Void Agents in one place. It made the cold reach the bones so deeply they felt brittle and frail. The natural temperature so deep underground should actually be closer to one hundred-sixty-five degrees, but the cold slows the rotting process, so I didn’t mind it. I couldn’t really feel it anyway. I knew that Alexandar could feel it as he shivered under the small blankets I had given him. I didn’t want him to die from exposure, after all.

I wanted him to Choose. He knew this game. He had played it as long as I had. The problem was, he thought choosing death meant losing. He couldn’t have been more wrong.

I grabbed the metal chair and scraped it loudly across the ground. I tried to model everything I did in this room after Nicabar. I smiled as I watched Alexandar shudder the way he used to.

Maybe I should start bringing a gun! I said, laughing at my own joke. The surrounding silence seemed to press down my laughter, trying to erase it. Do you think that would help?

I sighed as Alexandar ignored me.

You know I’m doing this for your own good, Brother.

For my own good? He scoffed and deigned to look at me.

No longer ten-years-old, a thick scraggly beard grew wild along his masculine face and neck. His hair had grown long and mangy. I sniffed and ran a hand through my own hair. A sound, like the tearing of fabric, had me frowning. A large portion of my scalp had come right off into my hands.

Personally, I don’t think it’s for my own good to rot from the inside out, Alexandar said.

So, am I to assume your answer is the same today?

Yes, he said. For the first time his voice wavered, giving me hope that I’d finally broken him.

Soon, I said, I have a feeling your choice will be different. Besides, you know I can look however I want, I just prefer to look like me.

You don’t look anything like my sister anymore.

It shocked me that his words actually hurt my feelings.

Don’t say that, I coughed as the unfamiliar emotion welled within me. I forced it back behind the emotional dam that I had spent years crafting and smiled at him. He recoiled. I shrugged.

Alright, I said as I stood. Have it your way.

I turned to leave and heard Alexandar’s footsteps echo as he followed behind me.

All of the Void Agents were here, along with their entourages. The ones left anyway. A bevy of doppelgangers crowded the room we had entered. The incessant buzz of fluorescent lights and a gnash of teeth enclosed us. I surveyed the room and could see the eagerness around me.

Good, I thought. They’re hungry.

I smiled as I looked to Alexandar and saw his fear. So this is what Nicabar and Ioana had felt. Power absolute. I now understood their actions in a way I’d never considered before. Knowledge really was the gateway to everything you ever wanted.

You, I pointed at one doppelganger and his eyes lit with glee.

Hmm, I looked around. You, you and... you.

They stood and followed Alexandar to the feeding table, still frozen and shiny from yesterday’s feeding. I couldn’t let everyone feed or he might die. Can’t have that without the choice. However, I could keep him weak by letting a few feed daily. That weakness was a strong blow to his pride and soon it would break him.

Are you sure? I asked him as I tightened his straps on the stainless steel autopsy slab.

My hands stilled when he hesitated.

Tabitha? he whispered, looking beyond me.

She’ll be one of us soon enough, I shrugged. If she chose the Other, would that make a difference?

His mouth firmed and he looked away.

Interesting, I filed that away for another time. Maybe I should refocus my energies.

No, his head whipped back in my direction, a fire in his eyes that used to only exist for me.

An odd sense of longing erupted in my chest, but faded quickly.

What is it about her, I wonder? I asked, more to myself than to him. I wasn’t surprised when I didn’t receive an answer. I shook off the emotions like old socks and continued with the show.

Has your answer changed? I asked him, as a matter of formality.

No, he turned his head from me and I shrugged.

Dig in, boys, I said and walked away as the screaming began.

I blinked several times as the door shut in front of me. My entire world had fallen apart in just a matter of seconds. My plans, my hopes, even my dreams, all gone like seeds in the wind. There was only one way to salvage this.

I ran to my bedroom to pack the things I would need. She’d said it would be an adventure, so there were some items I needed.

Grabbing a pack, I began to fill it. Spare magik, my tarot deck, a bedroll, rope, and a few easy changes of clothes. Once I’d loaded up the items of greatest import, I went to the kitchen to pack some provisions.

How could this have happened? Why did the memory spell break now? And what did she mean when she said she knew where Alexandar was? I shook my head to try to clear it as all the questions swirled.

When I was done I jogged to the door and almost ran right into Blue as she walked in.

Where are you going? The light in Blue’s features dimmed as she saw the bag strung over my shoulders.

Tabitha says she knows where Alexandar is, I moved to pass her but she stepped in my way.

And you didn’t think to tell me? Blue stood with her hands on her hips, a spark of fury flaming to life in her eyes.

There’s no time, I tried to move past her again and she blocked. Look, you’re no good to us in this fight.

Bull, she smiled at me and tossed her bright red hair. The statement didn’t even make her flinch, as I’d hoped. I’ll go get my things and we’ll catch up with her.

She’s a lot faster now, I tried to move out the door past Blue again but she grabbed my arm and dragged me toward her bedroom.

This won’t take long, her grip was firm as she pulled me along.

I knew I could easily break free, but I was beginning to think that it might be a better idea for her to come with. Strength in numbers.

So what happened? Blue asked as we reached her room.

I’m not sure, she let go of my arm and I watched her grab a bag from under her bed, throw it over her shoulder and walk back to me. That’s it?

I told you it wouldn’t take long, her smile turned sultry. You should know I’m always ready to go.

I guess so, I grinned back at Blue and took a moment to really look at her. The gorgeous, bright red hair, yellow cat’s eyes and slim tall body made my mouth water.

There were so many things I wanted to say in that moment, but instead... We have to go, was all that came out. The things I wanted to say would have to wait. A disconcerting guilt began to gnaw at my stomach and I wondered what I had to feel guilty about.

Lead the way, Blue gestured, and together we jogged out the door.

Garridyn, what exactly happened in the thirty minutes after her Ascension? Blue asked as we made it down the stairs at a trot. What changed?

The servants and aides scrambled to get out of our way. The enormous foyer was empty, Tabitha hadn’t waited for me. I stopped for a moment and closed my eyes. I reached for the bond that held us all together. When I felt the tether, I tugged at it and felt the responding tug. My eyes opened and Blue and I began running again. She’d felt it too. They were already near the edge of the city. If they reached the door before we got there we would lose them.

Through the bond I would be able to tell what direction she had gone, but if I’d never been to that location it could take months of traveling to find her.

No clue, I said, finally answering Blue’s question. She ascended, said goodbye to her nephews, then something was different. She was distracted by something.

We darted around the people in our path as we burst through the front entrance into the cavern that was the Air City, Gaoithe. People from all walks of life were trying out their new powers. The majority of this generation had never experienced the rush of touching their Element before. Other than the potentials, of course.

Potentials were those with a deep connection to their Element, despite being cut off within the cities. That small touch of power was nothing compared to their current connection. Once an Elemental has Ascended your true connection to your Element is strengthened. The Elementals themselves will always be the most powerful, as they were the ones Chosen by the Element. But power is nothing without a knowledge of how to use it. Which is why any outside Elemental will always be at a disadvantage to an inside potential.

Men and women were floating about the cavern, and some flew outright. Children hovered balls and toys, inventing new games in light of their new powers. One man threw his child so far up in the air it made my stomach drop, but the little girl squealed in delight. There was an obvious difference in power among them. There were some that were still struggling to control small pebbles. It was a lot like a coveted talent. Some just couldn’t find the rhythm like those that had a natural ability.

We ran through the celebrating crowd. Some looked at us sideways, but most were too wrapped up in their own discoveries to notice the Elementals running through the streets like thieves. Rose petals in a rainbow of colors floated from the ceiling like snow. This made it much easier for us to go unnoticed in the sea of people.

Did she say anything? Blue panted beside me, matching me step for step.

All she really said was, ‘I remember everything’ and then asked me to go on an adventure, I would have shrugged, but it was difficult to affect nonchalance while running.

Has anything happened recently? Blue asked.

Look, I growled. You know about as much as I do, ok? We won’t know more until she tells us.

We continued to run in silence, broken only by the music and cheers of the people around us. Blue’s question made me think though. What had happened? A lot. So much had happened in the last few weeks. It was hard to realize that it had only been a matter of days since I had been able to rescue Tabitha from her prison where she’d been held captive for over two years.

In the last two weeks, Tabitha had found out that her world was much larger than she’d ever realized. She’d already had to accept that magik was real after she has been raised outside the Protectorate,